Just a Clock on the Wall
by AlyssPotter
Summary: It was slow. So very, very slow. And it only got worse every day. He doesn't know why they were so surprised when he finally cracked. Wally centric!


**A/N**

 **...Guys, I have no idea. Just read, please!**

 **Also, When Things Change chapter 4 and As Friendly As They Get chapter 8 are coming out soon! Make sure to watch for my new adopted Batman story coming up (adopted from Glimare) and my next Wally themed story! Until then, new one-shots will be coming out (PM me if you have a request). Enjoy!**

 **Summary: It was slow. So very, very slow. And it only got worse every day. He doesn't know why they were so surprised when he finally cracked.**

 **Song(s):**

 **Why Does It Take So Long? by Abandon**

 **Disclaimer: Ya, nope.**

 **Just a Clock on the Wall**

Another click. Another tick. Slowly inching forward; his eye twitched. It was a nervous tick. An impatient habit. Time wasn't going fast enough for him.

He casually walked down the hallway of Mount Justice, his eyes passing over the way paper rippled and tables shifted as he paced at super speed.

Robin's door opens, a slow paced click that leaves him even more angst-y than before. Robin leaps and twirls and cackles; it's all so slow to him. When Artemis yells at him to slow down, her voice sounds like it's moving through molasses.

He wants to tell her to speed up, that he's not the one at fault; but he can't. He wants so badly to tell at Robin to cackle quicker, M'gann to bake faster, Artemis to shoot speedier.

But he can't.

His Uncle Barry had explained it to him once. Well, tried to, really. All these people-all these _normal_ people-couldn't understand the concept. Moving so fast that you're already twice your age (mentally), living out several lifetimes in a movement of slow moments. It just wouldn't make sense, they wouldn't understand how a child could mature from watching everything go so slow, moving so fast that time has no meaning.

Today, it's hitting him harder than ever, because it's _the_ day. When he lost precious normalty in exchange for super powers. At first, he had been exstatic; who woudn't be? But as the days slowly ticked by, he understood the consequences.

Sure, he felt absolutely awesome when he helped the Team, saved someone. He loved helping people, and don't get him wrong, he wouldn't _ever_ change history, but the price was so _so_ high!

The clock, it ticks, it twitches, it screeches as it goes forward-he glares at it.

Conner's subtle shifting in the living room takes hours, and Kaldur's breathing exercise's almost make Wally think he's not breathing. M'gann spends a very long time humming a short tune that Wally could have finished before she even thought about it.

His body is difficult to maintain-eat now, sleep now, more, more, _more_ food. All so his body didn't tear itself apart.

Breezily, he walked through the kitchen, making a pre-pre lunch. He sees Robin flipping across the rafters in slow motion and pretends not to notice, instead looking at the blond archer who furiously dashed into the kitchen at a snails pace. He grinned, eating the sandwich at a slow pace (though to them it looks like he shoved it in his mouth). She snarls at him, stomping up to be in his face. Casually, Wally speeds up again so time freezes, walking over to the couch and sitting down, stealing Conner's chips. He folds his hands behind his head and crosses his ankles on the ottoman, huffing out a sigh and closing his eyes.

Truth was, things got a little lonely on days like this. Where his body didn't really want to slow down, where it was hard to 'play pretend'-be normal, that is. It kinda hurt, too. His mind, his body, they _ached_ from moving so slow. Sometimes, he just wondered if he'd be better off not pretending-but then where would he be?

Sighing-again, he seems to be doing that a lot lately-he walks back over to where he was before and slows down his molecules to their pace. Artemis yells, not noticing his brief interlude. Sure, his body responds naturally, but he can't really remember what he said. He was too busy thinking about _the_ day. Robin notices, frowning, but everyone else is oblivious.

They go on a mission later, and he screws up. He tries so hard to focus, to not think, but-

It's pretty pointless in the end. Everything just goes so slow, and he can't understand what they're saying as they try to communicate, and M'gann has to pull away from his mind because he's going so fast, and _ya_ they win, and they capture everyone, but he messes up the plan and he can hear them muttering angrily.

It hurt, just a little. Could they not understand that he was trying, he was trying _so hard_. He didn't mean to hurt anyone, to ever mess up. He bit his lip, he crossed his arms, he closed his eyes, but it just didn't go away.

Everything-it was just- _everything._

He looked at their faces one last time; disappointment, anger, dismissal. Robin noticed, though, he shouted for his best friend to stop, but Wally already had a running start and he was gone in a gust of wind.

He comes back later, a little more relaxed, but with guilt still running through his veins. He types in the code for the Cave doors and enters, walking down the hallway at a somewhat normal pace.

They're all there, sitting on the couch in the Cave.

Wally considers just running by, but they've already spotted him, watching his vibrating form with curious eyes, with cautious nature, and raised eyebrows. Robin is perched on an arm rest; he gestures to the rest of the Team watching him with a raised eyebrow (because he already knows, already _understands_ ). The clock is hung up behind them. It twitches and it clicks, but Wally takes a deep breath and relaxes. So with a sigh he turns.

He stops.

He slows down.

He tells them.

 **A/N**

 **...guys, I'm not sure what just happened. As you might've noticed, I'm not all that great at writing in present tense. But, the idea just kept bugging me until I wrote it down soooo...Review? (I really need feedback!)**

 **Kisses!**

 **Alyss**


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